Quade Cooper was fined $40,000 by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) on
Wednesday – $10,000 of which was for expressing his dislike of a computer
game, Wallabies Rugby Challenge, that is licensed by the ARU.

The bulk of Cooper's hefty fine and suspended three-match ban was for comments made on Twitter and in the media criticising Wallabies coach Robbie Deans and the "toxic environment" he has created within the national team.

The ARU ruled Cooper had brought the game into disrepute after saying the current Wallabies regime was "destroying" him as a player and person.

Cooper's disruptive comments about the Wallaby set-up were appropriately punished but a five-figure fine for branding a computer game "the s------t" on the market broke new ground for absurd punishments in an increasingly competitive field.

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The three-match ban was suspended as was a third of a $60,000 fine on the proviso that Cooper behaves the next two years – meaning he will be available for national selection once he recovers from his knee injury.

The Queensland Reds playmaker was contrite.

"It was a very fair hearing and I was very happy with the outcome," said Cooper.

"Obviously, the sentence that has been handed to me, I have full respect for that and I understand that I fell well below par in what it means to be a Wallaby... my apologies," he added.

"From now on, I'm just looking forward to the future – hopefully having a big year, with not only my state but the Wallabies."

The ARU welcomed the resolution of the issue and said contract negotiations with Cooper – placed on hold pending the disciplinary process – could now resume.

"Given the tribunal has handed down its decision, this matter as far as we are concerned has been finalised," said its deputy chief executive Matt Carroll.

"ARU will now look at how we address the contract situation involving Quade Cooper."